double-dealing

/ˌdʌbəlˈdiːlɪŋ/

//ˌdʌbəlˈdiːlɪŋ// adj

"double-dealing" is a 13-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“double-dealing” is uncommon English (outside the top frequency list), classed as an adjective. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

Unranked
below top-frequency English
14
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed September 3, 2026) - Cheating, dishonest; treacherous.

Corpus desk

Index EN-double-dealing · double-dealing · English

double-dealing · unranked · 0 variants · 0 confusables

  • FREQ-UNRANKED Unranked
  • LEN-MEGA 14 letters
  • VOW-6 6 vowels
  • CONFUS-0 No pairs
  • VAR-0 0 variants
  • BOOK-THIN "D" thin
  • PHOTO-UNK Peer pending

Read with this headword: Spelling guide for this pattern

Desk codes from Wiktionary headword shape, FrequencyWords rank tier, confusable-pair count, generated misspelling depth, letter-cohort book size, and photo-finish peer. Not a difficulty grade.

Key facts for double-dealing
PropertyValue
Headworddouble-dealing
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechAdjective
IPA/ˌdʌbəlˈdiːlɪŋ/
Letters14
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Long-tail rank of “double-dealing” in English

double-dealingranks outside the top 100,000 English headwords, in the long tail of specialist, archaic, or seldom-used vocabulary, exactly the territory where a reader stops mid-sentence to double-check spelling.

Beyond rank #100,000. Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

double-dealing is uncommon English outside the top frequency list, classed as anadjective, transcribed /ˌdʌbəlˈdiːlɪŋ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "Cheating, dishonest; treacherous.".

Zero misspellings are on record for double-dealing in our index, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. It is not paired with a close-neighbour confusable in our dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: From the practice of dealing oneself multiple cards in order to gain an advantage in a game. The correct English form is double-dealing, spelled D-O-U-B-L-E---D-E-A-L-I-N-G.

Definition

  1. 1
    Cheating, dishonest; treacherous.

Recorded use

Wiktionary example

These source excerpts show how double-dealing appears in context. They illustrate usage; the definition above remains the entry’s reference meaning.

  1. You low-down, no-good, double-dealing sidewinder!

Etymology

From the practice of dealing oneself multiple cards in order to gain an advantage in a game.

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "double-dealing"?
"double-dealing" is spelled D-O-U-B-L-E---D-E-A-L-I-N-G. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌdʌbəlˈdiːlɪŋ/.
What does "double-dealing" mean?
As an adjective, "double-dealing" means: Cheating, dishonest; treacherous.
How do you pronounce "double-dealing"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "double-dealing" is /ˌdʌbəlˈdiːlɪŋ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "double-dealing"?
From the practice of dealing oneself multiple cards in order to gain an advantage in a game. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list